Vocal Trump supporter David Clarke headlines Reagan Dinner

Friday

Nov 17, 2017 at 10:11 PMNov 18, 2017 at 5:06 AM

COLLIN BREAUX News Herald Reporter @PCNHCollinB

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Vocal Trump fan and former Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Sheriff David Clarke spoke about sexual harassment claims against Roy Moore and Al Franken, the “war on cops” throughout America and other topics during a visit to Panama City Beach on Friday.

Clarke, who retired earlier this year and isn’t shy about voicing his political opinions, was the guest speaker at the Bay County Republican Party Reagan Dinner, a fundraiser held at the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort Conference Center.

“As it relates to Roy Moore, that is for the people of Alabama to decide. They’ll straighten it out. They’ll figure it out,” Clarke said. “I trust the voters of Alabama and we’ll see what happens. I think everybody else should butt out and let the good people of Alabama sort that out. As for Al Franken, I think it’s the same thing. It’s for the people of Minnesota. Although he is a sitting senator, so the U.S. Senate does have some say with ethics investigations. … The people of Minnesota put him there. The people of Minnesota should get to decide in conjunction with the Senate.”

Those topics were “exciting for the media” but “distracts from the problems the country’s facing” such as kick-starting the economy, putting people back to work, tax reform and health-care costs “spiraling out of control” because of Obamacare, Clarke said.

Clarke also spoke about the rise in hostility toward police by “anarchists” and others. Obama was a “cop hater” and Black Lives Matter was a “hate group,” Clarke said.

“Ferguson, 2014. Unfortunate incident. Officer Darren Wilson, Michael Brown, a citizen, come into contact with one another. Something went horribly wrong,” Clarke said. “That’s what most of these things are. If you have to use force, something went horribly wrong but not always through the fault of the officer. Michael Brown tried to disarm a law enforcement officer. … (Wilson) was left with no other option but to defend his life.”

Clarke said everyone should be vocal in supporting cops, and also that people “get stuck” on race and immigration. Clarke also said he spent a lot of time helping Trump get elected president and that Trump needs to be given a “grace period” to work.

“I think he’s done a great job. Look at the economy. The economy is starting to pick up steam,” Clarke said. “Some of the issues he’s tackled are things everybody else in Washington has been afraid of. Immigration, for instance, has sat there. We need immigration reform. … Under the circumstances, if I were to give him a letter grade, A-plus.”

Clarke said he didn’t plan to run for public office in the near future.

Fundraiser attendees like Terry Cypher, president of the Panhandle Federated Republican Women, were excited to hear Clarke speak. Cypher said she considered it “an honor” he came to Panama City Beach.

“He is a very well-known, very righteous man,” Cypher said. “He wants what’s best for this country. He wants our president to do well and supports him in his position. I believe his being here is a big plus for the Republican Party.”

Trump’s rise to office convinced Cypher, who said she’s not really political, to register to vote last year. She said the country was “going downward” before his campaign, which stopped in Pensacola during the election, a rally she attended.

Julie Sanders, also a member of the Panhandle group, was another Trump supporter at the fundraiser. Sanders said Clarke spoke at one of Trump’s rallies that she attended.

“I was anxious to hear him again and my parents have not heard him, so I brought them,” Sanders said. Being a Republican meant “looking at what America was built on and keeping those standards, just work ethic and love of country and the freedom to pursue what you want to pursue if you’re willing to work for it. The opportunity’s there. I’m for less government control. I love my country and want to keep it going. I think it’s a great country but I think a lot of the things it was built on are starting to crumble away. I’m happy Trump’s focused to get us back to that.”

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